Elon Musk brings whole new meaning to ‘high speed’ satellite internet with vehicle-optimized Starlink terminal
One of the options Starlink customers have been waiting on, for quite a while, is the ability to use Starlink terminals while in motion. With Starlink Maritime the company released the ability to use the high-speed internet while in motion out at sea, but at last, there is an official option for customers who want to mount a Starlink terminal on top of their RV or other vehicles for in-motion use.
This capability has a very high up-front cost, however. While the service is available for $135 per month in the US, as part of the Starlink for RV tier, the up-front cost for hardware is $2,500 rather than the $599 of a typical Starlink user terminal. That isn’t for no reason though. This terminal is one of the company’s high-performance terminals, which is much larger for a better connection with satellites. Unlike the pole mounted Starlink terminals, which use a motor to do some alignment and then the fine control of the phased-array antenna, the Flat High Performance terminal has no motor or pole mount, and uses exclusively the phased-array antenna.
SpaceX says this terminal’s “enhanced GPS capability” and wide field of view allow it to connect with more satellites to create a stable connection while in motion. As it’s designed for use in motion, the flat high-performance Starlink terminal also includes a mount for the power supply and router to help keep them in place.
According to their specs, the terminal can survive winds over 174mph. I think the word “survivable” should be examined with a bit of scrutiny – just cause the terminal can survive it doesn’t necessarily mean you can expect a reliable connection at that speed (not that you’ll be mounting the terminal on an F1 car to test it).
Being the high-performance terminal, it also has improved extreme weather capabilities for melting snow and withstanding heat.
This service could be perfect for both RVers and truckers. Even if they don’t need the internet while actually on-the-move, the flat mount would allow them to have high-speed internet whenever they stop, rather than having to unpack a Starlink terminal, find a spot to set it, wire it, and wait for a connection.
While the terminal is costly, I have no doubt that many people will find it a good fit for them and purchase the package. Well before this flat high-performance terminal was released, however, users were modifying their own terminals for a similar experience.
As SpaceX continues to branch out its Starlink products, I believe it’s only a matter until they integrate Starlink data connectivity directly into Tesla vehicles. Tesla and SpaceX have had their cross-promotions plenty of times before. SpaceX launched a Tesla Roadster into space, SpaceX uses Tesla batteries in Starship to actuate flaps, Tesla referral program participants had their photos launched into space, and a limited form of Starlink connectivity will make its way to Tesla vehicles in the coming years. Initially, that will only be the same cell-phone-like connection that the V2 Starlink satellites will bring to any 5G phone. That connection is primarily for emergency calls and texts when outside of cellular connection. But as SpaceX continues to bring the cost down on the terminals, I believe there will eventually be a point that the increased cost of installing a terminal in Tesla vehicles from the factory will be outweighed by the benefits of the new Starlink customers it will attract.
Not the first flat-mount Starlink
People have even created businesses out of modifying Starlink terminals – such as Star-Mount systems. They offer a mounting kit so you can rehouse your own Starlink terminal into a flat mount. Depending on the mount type, you can either keep the terminal in mostly one piece, or cut apart the shell of the standard rectangular terminal and remove the motor and tube for an extremely thin terminal that can be installed on vehicles in a safe manner. Some of these mounts have suction cups at the four corners to allow them to suction onto even the glass-roofs of Tesla vehicles. Some people, of course, did this for their own use, but when Hurricane Ian struck Florida, Brandon Walsh of Star-Mount Systems stepped up and helped the state Hurricane Response and Relief unit to get their terminals modified for more convenient connectivity when responding to the disaster.
This is far from the first time that Starlink has been used in response to disasters, but the community effort behind the support here is worth note and worth celebrating.
There are even some great thoughtful additions to the terminal like an internal Apple AirTag to help keep track to the units in the even one could be stolen.
Even though there is now an official product from SpaceX that offers similar functionality, I’m confident some of the alternative options will have their place. Even with the cost of a standard Starlink terminal and a third party mounting solution, you’ve spent less than half as much as the low-profile higher performance terminal. The standard terminal also draws less power than the high-performance terminal, which is an important consideration for people living off-the-grid. There are certainly trade-offs either way, but I find the ingenuity of some people incredible.
BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.
The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.
The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.
But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.
The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.
There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.
BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.
With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.
Electrek’s Take
I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.
Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.
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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.
Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!
I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!
Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.
To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.
Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!
Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.
The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.
The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!
I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.
That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.
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